Design and Characterization of Small-Scale Sandwich Beams Fabricated by Photolithography and Electrodeposition
Abstract Small-scale sandwich beams with core structures having cell diameters and wall widths on the order of 500 μm and 100 μm, respectively, have been produced through fabrication methods that combine photolithography and electrodeposition. Two core configurations have been examined: 1) regular hexagonal honeycomb and 2) high-aspect ratio hexagonal shells having an open architecture. The bending response of the sandwich beams has been examined and compared with the beam theory predictions. Shear stiffness of the honeycomb core was considerably high and therefore the bending behavior was dominated by the face sheets. The bending of the sandwich specimens with the hexagonal shells, on the other hand, was largely dependent on the core. The sandwich beam dimensions investigated in this study have not been optimized for weight minimization and structural efficiency. Further advances in fabrication methods to produce micrometer-size features and high-aspect ratio cores will enable realization of structurally efficient, lightweight sandwich beams and panels that can be used as multifunctional components in small-scale devices.